


maybe the past resurfacing isn't such a bad thing as the movies lead you to believe

by artistsRevival



Series: Merfolk, Humans, and Those In-Between [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Character Death, Minor Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Relationship Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1810771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artistsRevival/pseuds/artistsRevival
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Signes Vantas meets an old friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	maybe the past resurfacing isn't such a bad thing as the movies lead you to believe

**Author's Note:**

> ahahaha I WARNED YOU ABOUT THE DUALSIGN BRO I TOLD YOU DOG
> 
> this au has a tag on tumblr! tumblr.com/tagged/meridan-and-gillkat-adventures  
> this author has a tumblr! tavvross.tumblr.com

Your name is Karkat Vantas.

Wait. 

No, it isn’t. This isn’t going to be from your son’s point of view.

Your name is _actually_ Signes Vantas, and you’re meeting the dad of the two mermen your boys are dating.

You really didn’t expect it to be this one, this one merman out of them all, but as soon as you saw the two merboys, you were on edge. They looked way too much like him. 

Of course it was him.

As soon as you sat down on the water’s edge on an outcrop of rock, you could see a familiar shimmering purple tail through the water. You hoped so hard that it wasn’t - it wasn’t Atrice. 

His head splashed out from the depths, like your past resurfacing in one move, water cascading down his face, and the two scars shining purple confirmed your fears. He caught sight of you and his eyes narrowed. He spoke first.

"Signes. Fancy seein’ you here, after v-what happened." His voice is guarded. 

"What a coincidence, right?" You laugh. You sound guarded also, maybe moreso than he does. How could you not after his last little… performance?

"So. Your boys are datin’ my boys, respectiv-wely. We should get some things straight." He swishes up to you menacingly. In a moment, he grabs the front of your shirt and pulls you forward. You can feel his breath ghost by your ear. "If your boys or you hurt Cro or Eri," he growls in a voice that sends shivers of all kinds down your spine, "I v-will see to it that you’ll be sv-wimmin’ v-with us for the rest of your pathetic life, and that ain’t particularly healthy for you pollutin’ landdv-wellers."

"Atrice-" you start. Your voice sound weak, even to you. "Atrice, I’m sorry," you start again. 

"That’s v-what you v-wanted, v-wasn’t it?" His voice rises in volume. "You did v-want to be v-with her! And she drov-we herself fuckin’ crazy v-wantin’ to be v-with you!" 

"Atrice, let me explain -" You’re distressed.

"She didn’t deserv-we that! You didn’t deserv-we her!" He clenched his teeth and his deep voice rang in your ears and struck something in your chest. You’d realized long ago that while you’d been infatuated with Lumina - oh, that Lumina Pyrope, mother of your children - you’d, deep down, been in love with this man. The two children produced from you and Lumina… well, you love them with all your heart, nothing could change that, but they were the products of infatuation. And you think maybe you still love her, too, but you had completely ignored your best friend and love. Atrice Ampora.

"Atrice, let me speak!" You put as much command into your tone as you can, which is an impressive amount. He quiets, you having never yelled at him like that. "Atrice - yes. I was wrong. You have every right to be angry with me, but Jesus Christ will you hear me out? Fuck." You put your face in your hands. "I know that you feel like it’s my fault that Lumina died - and trust me, I do too, I haven’t stopped blaming myself for her death since it happened. But - if you really hate me that much," you pause, the words catching in your throat, "then don’t come and talk to me unless it’s absolutely necessary. And don’t drag our kids into this, they don’t deserve it." You can feel an ache deep in your chest. 

Atrice is silent for a few seconds. When he speaks, it’s nothing like what you expected. "I nev-wer hated you, you know," he says quietly. "I v-wanted to, for av-while, fuck I v-wanted to. I v-wanted to smash your face in and break you limbs one by one and laugh v-while doin’ it, but I couldn’t. Fuck, I knew I couldn’t. But Lumina v-was my moirail, you know, she gav-we you lessons on our quadrants. V-we v-were so fuckin’ pale, I felt like dyin’ myself v-when she died." He glares at you, halfheartedly. "But no, Signes, I nev-wer fuckin’ hated you." 

For once in your life, you’re speechless. He keeps talking. "That v-wasn’t the only reason I v-wanted to hate you, though. I v-wanted to hate Lumina, too, because - god, I had it so bad for ya, cheif, you had no clue. I had it so bad, and v-when you hooked up v-with my moirail, especially after - _that_ ," he grimaces, "I felt real fuckin’ betrayed. But, of course, v-we v-were horny teenagers, you know? I shouldn’t hav-we expected you to lov-we me back, right? And you know," he says, quieter, "maybe I nev-wer stopped feelin’ that v-way. Ev-wen v-with Condie. So… I guess no hard feelin’s. V-we can just ignore each other unless the situation calls for it, and that’ll be that." He turns to swim away.

"Atrice - Atrice, wait, I -" You call after him and grab at his arm. It’s almost twice the thickness of yours, but he stops. "Look," you begin, "I really have no idea where my emotions are right now," you say, "but I can definitely tell you that I did have feelings for you, before and probably during Lumina. I was -" you stutter, "I was infatuated with her, for a long time. And you were my best friend, you know, we were really fucking close. But you didn’t really do relationships, you know, so when we - did that - I thought that you would pass it off as a dumb fling, so I did too. A friends-with-benefits scenario. So, I didn’t act. I don’t regret it, really, my boys are my prides and joy, and all that shit, you know how that feels -" you stare at him pleadingly. "So, while no, I never stopped loving Lumina, I don’t think I stopped loving you, either. And we don’t have to do anything about it now, fuck, I don’t think either of us could handle that, could we just - could we just be friends again for awhile? I missed you." You stop and wait for his reaction. 

He’s silent for a good long while. "On one condition," he finally states. "Let me kiss you, just this once - since you nev-wer let me v-when v-we v-were kids - and v-we’ll see how things go." You’re honestly shocked.

"I - okay." When he swims over and stares into your eyes, and when he presses his chilled, wet lips to yours, you don’t regret a thing. 

"I’v-we got to head back. V-we’ll talk more tomorrow, right?" he asks when he pulls back. "Same place?"

"Sure." You’re slightly breathless. You feel like a fucking teenager again, ugh. 

"Good." You keep not regretting anything when you see his purple tail flash down into the depths.

**Author's Note:**

> ehehe how do u write dualscar


End file.
